Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 255 Imperial Edict
Upon hearing Liu Bei's statement that "those who plot to assassinate the young emperor dare not come here," the officials suddenly fell silent.

The room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Xuande, do you intend to inflict this crime upon everyone in the world?"

Lu Zhi stared at Liu Bei and asked.

"Adding a crime? Lu Zhi, murdering the eight-year-old emperor, is that not a crime in your eyes?"

This time, Liu Bei didn't even address Lu Zhi by his courtesy name, but called him by his given name: "What use is someone like you, who can't distinguish right from wrong, to the world if he serves in the court?!"

Lu Zhi's face turned purplish-blue, but he did not argue further. With a sigh, he removed his crown, took out the seal of the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat from his robes, and bowed to Empress Dowager Dong: "Your subject is old and incapable of performing duties. I beg to retire and return to my hometown..."

Subsequently, dozens more officials stepped forward, all removing their official hats and belts: "Your Majesty, I beg to return to my hometown to retire..."

Empress Dowager Dong was clearly flustered. She looked at the officials who had stepped forward and was about to say something, but Liu Bei stepped between the two of them and spoke first.

"Since you are no longer fit to serve and must retire to your hometown... then leave behind your official seal and robes and leave this hall immediately!"

Liu Bei waved his hand: "There are plenty of candidates for official positions in Luoyang. The world has no shortage of officials!"

Lu Zhi glared at Liu Bei, placed his crown and official seal on the ground, and turned to walk out of the hall.

"Minister Lu?!"

The other officials who had also requested to retire were all stunned.

Lu Zhi is serious...

Lu Zhi walked to the palace gate, turned around and glanced at Liu Bei, said nothing more, just stood at the door, bowed to the empty emperor's throne in the center, and then left.

"As you have all seen, if you wish to resign, then do as Minister Lu does: leave behind your official seals, robes, and hats, and leave this hall immediately!"

Liu Bei spoke coldly to the other officials.

"Queen Mother..."

Some officials looked at the Empress Dowager, but none of them actually took off their official robes.

But before the man could speak, Qian Zhao snatched the official tablet from his hand and pointed it at the palace gate: "Now that you have resigned from your post, you are a commoner and have no right to linger in the palace! Get out!"

The two armored soldiers released Cui Lie, walked up to him, and dragged him out of the main hall.

Dozens of officials were shocked, and at least half of them quickly took the opportunity to stand back on the train...

"Lord Yuan?!"

All the other officials who were "retiring to their hometowns" looked to the two people in the Nine Ministers' positions.

Those were General Yuan Kui and Grand Master of the Palace Yuan Ji.

But Yuan Wei kept his head down and remained silent, as if the affairs of the court had nothing to do with him.

"Somebody come!"

At Qian Zhao's command, more than a dozen armored soldiers entered the hall, snatched the official tablets from those officials who were still "begging for retirement," and dragged them out of the hall.

After the officials who had 'resigned voluntarily' were cleared out, some armored soldiers stepped forward again, intending to drag Cui Lie, who was sitting on the ground, out of the hall. But Cui Lie suddenly struggled and shouted, "Your Majesty, I obey the imperial edict! Your Majesty's will!"

Liu Bei glanced at Cui Lie, gently patted his hand, and the armored soldiers retreated.

Cui Lie stood up, adjusted his crown, glanced timidly at the hand halberd in Qian Zhao's hand, and planned to return to the ranks.

"Mr. Cui..."

Liu Bei stopped him and pointed to the seal left by Lu Zhi on the ground: "Since Minister Lu has resigned, how about we ask Lord Cui to temporarily take over as Minister for one day?"

Cui Lie hesitated for a moment, then picked up the seal of the Minister left by Lu Zhi from the ground.

Liu Bei handed the imperial edict to Zhao Zhong, who then walked toward Cui Lie. A young eunuch brought inkpads, and they were about to use the seal in court.

Yuan Wei finally stopped pretending to be dead: "How can an important position as Minister be privately transferred between people?"

"This is a public decision made in the imperial court, and it is only a temporary measure for one day. How can it be considered a private appointment?"

Holding his hand halberd, Liu Bei surveyed the officials in the hall: "Do any of you gentlemen have any objections?"

Qian Zhao also had a halberd, but he only focused on Yuan Wei.

All the officials fell silent, as if shivering in fear.

Yuan Wei probably saw the murderous intent in Qian Zhao's eyes, so he shut his mouth and lowered his eyes to pretend to be dead again.

Cui Lie turned to look at Yuan Wei, his hand trembling, but he still managed to stamp the Minister's seal onto the imperial edict.

Zhao Zhong presented the imperial edict to Liu Bei with both hands: "Please accept the edict, my lord."

Liu Bei received the imperial edict and turned to look at the side hall.

Zhao Yun led Liu Xie out of the side hall. Liu Bei placed the imperial edict in Liu Xie's hands and helped him up to the throne: "Please, Your Highness, ascend the throne and oversee the government!"

"Please, Your Highness, oversee the government..." Yang Biao, the Grand Master of the Palace, Liu Biao, the newly appointed Marquis of the Northern Army, Dong Cheng, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, and others quickly seized the opportunity and bowed to Liu Xie.

The officials in the court seemed to awaken from a dream, and they all bowed and said, "Please, Your Highness, oversee the government!"

The will has been finalized, and the rightful legitimacy is already in hand.

……

In fact, Liu Bei had been waiting for Yuan Wei to jump out and object, but Yuan Wei only questioned him lightly and then fell silent.

Looking at Yuan Wei from the imperial platform, Liu Bei understood that this situation was exactly what the Yuan family wanted.

Although Liu Bei's forceful suppression of the officials at this time gave the imperial edict legitimacy, many people would change sides as soon as he left the palace.

Liu Xie had the title of a successor, but he was weak and alone, with only Liu Bei and the eunuchs supporting him.

The He family was more powerful, and Liu Bian was the eldest son, so they were bound to fight to the death with Liu Xie's faction—the more evenly matched the two sides were, the more advantageous it would be for the Yuan family.

The factional struggles between the eunuch faction, the imperial relatives, and the scholars over the years were precisely because they were evenly matched, which allowed the Yuan family to grow so powerful by profiting from all sides.

However, Liu Bei had no intention of playing by the rules with the Yuan family...

Just then, a eunuch came from outside the hall to report: "General of Chariots and Cavalry He Miao and General of the Vanguard Dong Zhuo request to enter the hall for an audience."

Dong Zhuo did arrive eventually, though late, but thanks to the Empress Dowager's dawdling, he arrived just in time for the tail end of the court session.

When Empress Dowager Dong heard that Dong Zhuo had arrived, a hint of joy appeared on her face: "Quickly summon him into the palace!"

Dong Zhuo and He Miao entered the palace together and saw Liu Xie standing on the platform. They bowed respectfully.

Empress Dowager Dong looked somewhat bewildered.

Jia Xu followed him in and quietly stood in a corner.

He Miao, clearly having received guidance from Jia Xu, immediately began to cry out his innocence: "Your subject Zhu Miao has been wronged and falsely accused, and was nearly framed by He Jin. I now seek justice... I have come here alone to prove my innocence. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth and for all gentlemen to investigate thoroughly!"

He called himself Zhu Miao, which stunned the Empress Dowager even more, but all the officials gasped in unison.

"General Hou... Yesterday, someone plotted to assassinate the Crown Prince, but falsely accused General Zhu Miao of Chariots and Cavalry... Does General Hou know who the real culprit is?"

Liu Bei, holding a halberd, approached Yuan Wei.

"I only heard that the perpetrator was a subordinate of the General of Chariots and Cavalry..."

Yuan Wei answered with a frown.

"But someone secretly informed us that this matter was instigated by Yuan Shao, the Grand General's aide... General, His Majesty summoned He Jin and your nephew to the palace at dawn to defend themselves, but neither He Jin nor your nephew obeyed the summons, nor did Empress He and Marquis Shi enter the palace to perform their filial duties... Do you think this counts as treason?"

With the will finalized, it was only natural to begin determining guilt, which was no surprise to anyone.

This is a malicious slander!

Yuan Wei glanced sideways at Liu Bei: "I don't know anything about He Shi, but what crime has Yuan Shao committed? Who secretly informed on you? What evidence do you have?"

“Witnesses? The Empress Dowager is a witness! The Crown Prince is also a witness! ... Yuan Ciyang, I originally wanted to give you a chance to uphold justice and eliminate your own relatives, but since you are going to protect the traitor, then let the Court of Justice handle this matter.”

Liu Bei turned to Cui Lie and said, "Lord Cui, the son of the Yuan family secretly raised assassins to plot against the Crown Prince at the palace gate. What is the punishment for such treason?"

Cui Lie glanced at Yuan Wei, then at Liu Bei, and dared not speak, trembling with fear.

Liu Bei picked up the hand halberd and looked at Cui Lie's lower body.

"Their crime deserves the extermination of their entire clan..."

Cui Lie's face turned pale instantly, and he immediately replied—Cui Zhouping had told him what Liu Bei had done in Ganling, and Cui Lie recognized most of the famous scholars who had been castrated by Liu Bei and Cao Cao.

"Hmm, extermination of the entire clan... But what if the mastermind escapes, what should be done with his relatives?"

Liu Bei nodded approvingly.

"He should be imprisoned pending trial to prevent... the entire clan from causing chaos..."

Cui Lie's face turned even paler.

"Liu Bei! How dare you be so arrogant?!" "Cui Lie! Shut up!"

Yuan Wei and Yuan Ji both realized what was happening; one glared at Liu Bei, and the other cursed Cui Lie.

"General Zhu, have you heard the Court of Justice's verdict? Imprison these two in the Imperial Prison to await trial... Empress Dowager, please issue an edict summoning Lady He, He Jin, Yuan Shao, and others to the palace to accept their punishment. If there is any resistance... please have the General of Chariots and Cavalry and the General of the Vanguard punish them!"

Liu Bei waved to He Miao, also referring to him as General Zhu.

He Miao stepped forward and, together with the armored soldiers, twisted Yuan Wei's arm, just like Liu Bei's subordinates.

Convicting Empress He and He Jin was exactly what Empress Dowager Dong wanted, so she immediately issued an edict and appointed Cui Lie, the Minister of Justice, to deliver it.

(End of this chapter)